This article was originally published by Wellbeing Astrology 2025

Depending on your persuasion, the wheel of the year is prefixed by many names — Celtic, Druid, Pagan or Wicca. The familiar graphic has near cult status, bedecking the walls, altars and journals of devotees of the cosmos. In more recent times the ubiquitous image has expanded and morphed into a mystical symbol shrouded in layers of occult, spiritual and religious mystery. Freed from the shackles of cultural and metaphysical associations the Eightfold wheel is more universally appropriate and immediately demystified as sun’s celestial journey mirrored via seasonal cycles.

The term ‘the wheel of the year’ was only coined in the 1950’s, seeding by a renewed interest in older traditions. Comprising of eight spokes typically pointing to perpetual dates representing annual festival gatherings. Much like sun sign horoscopes shed light on our persona and how we ‘tick’; the wheel of the year, lifts the lid on how we live and chronologically traverse time. How we beating to our circadian rhythm, as the turning of seasons ebb and flow cyclically looping from darkness to lightness — influencing how we collectively tick.

THE ORIGINS OF THE WHEEL

Although a modern construct, tracing the wheel’s lineage is somewhat contentious; as authentic deep dives, to unravel traditions and practices from cultures that guarded sacred oral lore is a monumental task. Ironically it’s the preservation and chronicling of bygone beliefs and customs that instigated documenting and subsequently spawned the idea of the wheel in 1835. Some years later Wicca, modern pagan witchcraft surfaced after ancient laws against witchcraft were repealed in 1950’s, triggering a renaissance in rituals of old. Wiccan and Druid initiates claim credit for the co-creation of ‘the wheel of the year’, which amalgamated celebrations from Anglo-Saxon and Celtic origins. Over time more layers were incorporated, to resemble the present day version, including a Southern Hemisphere (S.H) wheel.

However, the Northern Hemisphere origins of eight hinges of year are far older — even older than second century Celtic lunisolar Coligny calendar —harking back to settled agricultural times (stone age) as nomadic man transitioned from Neolithic hunter gathers. Although in the main credit often goes to Celts, as ordering and formalizing the arrangement.

WHEEL STRUCTURE

The wheel construct mergers two systems — Four Quarter days and four Cross Quarter days; totaling eight specific divisions of time, roughly six to seven weeks apart, celebrating ancient festivals. Best visually thought of as super imposing and 􏰕 to form the eight spokes . Four-quarter days are solar festivals; and cross quarter were traditionally lunar festivals.

⊕ FOUR QUARTER DAYS

The Four Quarter festivals follow the pairs of Spring and Autumn Equinox and Summer and Winter Solstice aligning with arable seasons. The astronomical markers of the four cardinal directions signify the commencing of seasons at the cardinal signs of 0° Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. To Wicca folk they are Minor Festivals also known as Lesser Sabbaths. In the mid 70’s when the two systems merged the solar markers were awarded the ambiguous Saxon names of Ostara, Litha, Mabon and Yule.

⊗ CROSS QUARTER DAYS

The four cross quarter days are older fire festivals marked as midpoints or culminating peaks of seasons. To modern pagans they are known as Imbolc, Beltaine, Lunasa/Lughnasadh and Samhain; Great Sabbaths to Wicca folk. For native Gaelic speakers they are the months of February, May, August and November; a contemporary reminder of when festivals begin; on the eve of aforementioned months. Traditionalists either adopts lunar dates aligned to the nearest full moon or new moon or astrologically coinciding with 15° midpoints offixed signs Scorpio, Aquarius, Taurus and Leo — correlating to more pastoral seasons.

※ WHEEL MERGER

Be it quarter or cross quarter days, a festive gathering took place to honour and acknowledge the passages of time. Veneration commenced at sunset, when Celts considered the beginning of the day (another example of midpoints) and continued for three days. In modern times the Christian feasts of Christmas and Easter are examples of three-day Festivals, although viewed through liturgical lens and modified from original festivals.

When Christianity reached insular Celts, so to came the grafting over of Celtic Pagan nature based beliefs and traditions, alongside claiming the Pagan pantheon of deities as Saints — Shepherd and Lamb of God more examples.

Festivals overlap, when one marker ended approx 13 weeks ticked by until the next festival in that quarter system; separated by the alternate system marker at the 6-week point. For example, the cross quarter festival of Samhain begins Shadow time ending at Imbolc — its mid point the Winter Solstice — that traverses 13 weeks to the Equinox; its midpoint is Imbolc.

LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN SYSTEMS

APPLYING THE EIGHTFOLD YEAR FESTIVALS

There’s a well-known reverence imbued through repeating a ritual, a rite or tradition conducted by forefathers that lends the power of repetition. Leaning into the source material and its evolution over the vestiges of time also adds value. At its core the hinges follow seasons, the cycle of life, death and rebirth, the transition of light waxing and waning. Festivals incorporate seasonal shifts, specific trees, seasonal produce, feast days and N.H skies. As documented in the C19th, sacred fire weaves a common thread in each festival, noting the N.H climatic lack of solar presence, considered to be a contributing factor.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE WHEEL

Followers of the S.H wheel advance dates by six months; but this method is not without quandaries due to seasonal alignments, differing star lore, flora and fauna variances and astrology disparities— even lunar glyphs need flipping from N.H perspectives. The crux of any calendar hinges on the preference for determining seasons; be it meteorologically, phenologically or astronomically. Phenology looks to cues from nature, such as Groundhog Day a surviving relic and case in point. Early February also marks cross quarter Imbolc and astrologically calculated as a midpoint between solstice/equinox, a method favoured by Celts. However Australia and NZ officially adopt the less common metrological approach, commencing seasons on the first day of March, June, September and December.

Consequently, the S.H adaption offers food for thought; even on footprint/landmass alone, the polarity strains to reconcile climate differences. With First Nations peoples — the world's oldest continuous living culture and the world’s first astronomers — measured seasons phenologically, with some states following a two fold wet-dry seasonal calendar. In addition, different constellations preferences cued seasonal indicators of specific seasonal foods.

As any Celtic Diaspora will attest to, the hankering to beat in season with the new land you come to call home runs deep. Celtic cultures share oral traditions of story and song with Aboriginal and Māori peoples — in addition to custodianship of astrological architectural calendars; Wurdi Youang in Victoria and the many Celtic henges and passage tombs. Indigenous peoples the world over are the wise ‘druids’ of their lands; the keepers of keys to inherent time reckoning knowledge. Arguably the opportunity for a blended cross-cultural wheel of year is ripe.

But for now, when reading the festival overviews below, the corresponding S.H observations are listed with same dates — but with the opposing festival. Rituals are largely omitted, instead focusing on historical tapestry of traditions leaving room to personalise your practice, attune your personal rhythm and relationship with terra firma, adding vernacular synchronicities. That said, incorporating thematic fire veneration offers universal credibility, a ritualistic bridge if you will to Celtic customs, uniting S.H wheel application with a key tenet of N.H festivals.

N.H Jan to Dec IMBOLC ▪ OSTARA ▪ BELTAINE ▪ LITHA ▪ LUGHNASADH ▪ MABON ▪ SAMHAIN ▪ YULE

S.H Jan to Dec LUGHNASADH ▪ MABON ▪ SAMHAIN ▪ YULE ▪ IMBOLC ▪ OSTARA ▪ BELTAINE ▪ LITHA

IMBOLC — Six weeks after the seed of Winter Solstice light, Imbolc signals the first cues of Spring, stretching toward equilibrium and beyond — toward the promise of an early summer; Dawning Time runs till Beltaine (1 May N.H/1 Nov S.H). Imbolc translates as ‘in the belly’, some say ‘ewe’s milk’ a nod to lactation as the first-born ‘offspring’ appear — meaning 'of' Spring. As new undergrowth emerges, hibernating animals stir. The US adoption of Groundhog Day weather omen continues the custom.

Symbolically the three-day fire festival celebrated the dawning of Spring, lambing season and Goddess Brigid; the Pagan deity of fertility, fire and nature spirit of bodies of water. The gifted healer imbues red shawls hung on hedgerows on Brigid’s eve, with dewy healing powers for the year ahead. The Celtic Goddess Brigid now dethroned, becomes St. Brigid, her feast day is 1 February. Specific crosses are fashioned from reeds and hung in homes — arguably adopted from a primitive seasonal turning wheel.

Followed by Christian Candlemas when candles were blessed, symbolic of Christ’s light. Lit candles adorn windowsills on 31 January to welcome Brigid and Spring into homes with pyres guiding the way. Today folks venerate hearthside, spreading ashes on boundaries for annual protection and fertility charm.

Less global reach than Chinese Spring Festival (aka CNY) the Celtic Spring Festival also astrologically falls on 3 Feb 2025 – the astrological midpoint (15° Aquarius) between Winter Solstice to Spring Equinox (♑ •♒•♓). Fire and water purification cleansing alludes to ubiquitous spring-cleaning. A darkened chamber in the Mound of Hostages, a Neolithic passage tomb in Ireland is illuminated with NE rising sunrays at Imbolc. (S.H readers see Lughnasadh under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading below).

OSTARA — The midpoint between Imbolc and Beltaine is marked by the Vernal Equinox, officially beginning Spring. The quarter festival marks suns birth in cardinal East, peaking in cardinal South (N.H) at the Summer Solstice. A point of transition when day and night are equal, as day conceives light gradually defeating darkness. Harsh winters were a survival of the fittest, days grow warmer and animals resurrect from slumber.

The lesser Sabbath borrows its Wiccan name from Goddess Eostre (Ostara) an Anglo Saxon fertility deity. In a symbolic offering the first eggs laid after the equinox, were painted and offered to deities or Eostre and her sacred Hare. Both eggs and the prolific copulating hare are symbols of birth and fertility. The latter is said to reside in the moon, a symbol of menses. A minor fire festival yet bonfires were lit high on mountains, some burned a corn doll from previous harvest; ashes then used to fertilize fields and sow more seed. A pyre lit stick was taken home to relight hearths. Loughcrew, another Neolithic Cairn in Irelands Co. Meath, aligns to equinox sunrises; with rock art featuring four wheel spoke sun symbols.

The astrological New Year marked by 0° Aries used to denote Easter calculations. With the Pascal candle harking to pyre traditions of old, and the three-day festival retained. Some C19th writers posit Easter’s death and resurrection similarities with Phrygian (Turkish) God Attis. However, the Annunciation of Blessed Virgin also occurs and is symbolic of gestating light.

Astrology fiends’ favoured new beginning aligned with the Julian Calendar 1155-1752, changing after the switch to Gregorian calendar. (S.H readers see Mabon under ‘under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading below)

Beltaine commences 13 weeks of Light Time stretching toward peak sun, and then gradually fading till Lammas (1 August N.H/1 Feb S.H). May eve is a traditional half waypoint in the Celtic year beginning pastoral summer; when just two hinges of the year presided.

Beltaine in Gaelige for May, translated as ‘bright shining one’ after the Celtic Sun God Bel. Pleiades disappears from the sky and falls behind the Sun, thinning the veils of light. Tuatha Dé Danann, Ireland’s mythological race are said to have descended under the veils of Beltaine, governing pre-Celts, then going underground becoming the Sidhe – Fairy spirits of the land.

An old fire festival commences on May eve with sacred pyres kindled from culturally symbolic trees. Nature begins to flower and the air is latent with fecund intentions; the May Queen’s consummation symbolically danced round the phallic maypole. Shepherd’s leap twin fires making crops grow high as grazing season commences and herds head to higher summer pasture via pyre passageway – the seasonal droving of livestock. Wicca folk gather for a great Sabbath of 'Hexennachtor’ or ‘Walpurgis Night’; some folks lit fires to repel witches. Christianity venerates St. Walpurga to banish witchcraft and crowns effigies of Virgin Mary (May Queen). May day included the ritual of beating of boundaries and blessing homes with sacred pyre ash. (S.H readers see Samahin under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading below)

LITHA — The Summer Solstice, known as Litha to Anglo Saxons their term for June, officially begins Summer. The minor quarter festival cues the midpoint of Light Time between Beltaine and Lughnasadh; peak sun at 0° Cancer — when sun stands still, having superseded darkness at cardinal South (N.H).

Druids paid homage to the longest day at midnight on the eve of solstice, again at sun’s dawning and it’s zenith at noon. Astrologically aligned Stonehenge, Ireland’s Dowth henge and Australia’s Wurdi Youang stone arrangement, illustrate the significance of summer solstice sunrises (NE in N.H/SE in S.H) to the ancients — and lunar temple significance to boot. Stonehenge also believed to predict eclipses. Such permanent cast circles/ovals are undeniably places of power, for ritual and gatherings. Lovers jump bonfires lit on peak highlands (symbolising sun) and blazing sun wheels roll down hilltops toward rivers, symbolic of sun’s descent; days gradually grow shorter thereafter as the seed of darkness is sown. Harvesting sacred medicinal and astrologically aligned plants on Midsummer’s eve captured peak potency. Ancient’s knowledge of peak solar energies ensured crops planted on N/S axis garnered the greatest yields.

Also a festival of water with noted river rowing galas viewing sun’s descent into water. Christianity linked this to St. John’s Eve (23 June) and baptising the sun/son. (S.H readers see YULE under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading below)

LUGHNASADH — Harvest Time begins. Lughnasadh heralds the garnering of first fruits and grains, when summer slowly fades, and days shorten. Astrologically denoted as midpoint between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox (15° Aquarius S.H/15° Leo in N.H) heading towards Samhain (30 Apr S.H/31 Oct N.H). Known as Lammas to Anglo Saxons or Lúnasa in Irish; the names for August, when the festival is traditional celebrated.

The Celtic God of Light Lugh is honoured for saving the Harvest, with a namesake festival Lughnásad meaning Lugh’s assembly. Lugh and Brigid (the opposite Imbolc marker) symbolize the matchmaking handfasting unions held during Harvest gatherings — aligning with pastoral mating season the sacred marriage of light and dark. Autumnal flushes of regrowth are called Lammas growth, ensured the promise of a second harvest. It’s customary to fashion the last grain sheaf into a corn doll, emblematic of corn spirits and displayed till next harvest. With the grain first sheafs milled and baked into a loaf of bread (or bannock) offered to deities. Since Christianised as Lammas, ‘loaf mass’ conjoins bread (harvest) and mass tied to Eucharist. Another liturgical hybrid lies in the custom of hill walking. Ireland’s Croagh Patrick Mountain famous for pilgrim walks, delivers a spectacular setting sun rolling and following the mountain contour in April and August — believed to mark the beginning and end of growing season. (S.H readers see Imbolc under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading above)

MABON — The Autumn Equinox, cues another seasonal hinge and the onset of autumn when day and night equal once more and the astrological correspondence hovers in zodiacal sign of balance, 0° Libra. In the ensuing battle between light and dark; this time darkness defeats light as the quarter festival represents the dying sun at cardinal West.

The Gaelige season of autumn is called Fómhair; meaning harvest while September is ‘Meán Fómhair’, meaning middle harvest. Second harvests are gathered, feasts prepared, stores filled in preparation for winter, as man and animal prepare to rest and hibernate.

Mabon, the wiccan title is highly debated. Leaning on historical references, Welsh lore is arguably closest in meaning but complex to unravel. In Christian circles it’s presented as Michaelmas (archangel Michael’s mass), celebrating defeating Satan. Various traditions centre around eating a seasonal goose, with landlord and agricultural tenant agreements negotiated.

Ireland is home to the largest rock engravings in Western Europe. The aforementioned Loughcrew also recorded the world's oldest known solar eclipse [1] in stone over 5,000 years ago — Cairn L is illuminated at both equinox sunrises. At Knowth another ancient Neolithic mound, also has equinox correlations, as well as lunar mapping. (S.H readers see Ostara under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading above)

SAMHAIN — On the eve of November, another 13-week cycle begins; Shadow time transiting through peak darkness toward the gradual Dawning of Light at Imbolc (31 Jan N.H/31 Jul S.H). Samhain heralds late Autumn — in times past, the year was divided in two and Samhain marked Summer’s end and began Winter with a Celtic New Year. Astrologically the midpoint of Scorpio falls on 7 Nov. The thinning of the shadowy heavenly veils occurs after the reappearance of Pleiades, reaching it’s highest point in the sky at midnight around All Hallow’s Eve. Processions drifted the astrological alignment 17 Nov. 2025.

Samhain is Gaelige for November meaning the Feast of Apples — known as the Fruits of the Underworld. The Celtic festival of the dead was the greatest festival of the year, commencing at sunset when days renewed and deceased ancestors were welcomed back. Old burial mounds were illuminated and doorways opened on Samhain eve, so ancestors could find their way home. The Mound of the Hostages, a 5,000-year-old burial tomb in Co. Meath, saw sun naturally illuminate the chamber at Samhain. Newly kindled pyres perpetually burned for ancestors and disguised shepherd’s returning herds to lower pastures and shelter over winter – masking up to avoid detection from wandering spirits that also pass between the veils. The roots of now commercialised Hallowe’en. Carved ghoulish faces on turnips lit from the pyre, were beacons for ancestor and dissuaded ghosts. Folks conducted ancestral and protection customs – including some sacrificial bloodletting rituals.

The papering over of Pagan traditions saw the festival morph into All Souls’ and All Saints’ days. (S.H readers see Beltaine under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading above)

YULE — Winter sun stands still. The astrological correspondences of 0° Capricorn in N.H (0° Cancer in S.H) marks the Winter Solstice kick starting the agrarian season of winter, through till Spring Equinox. Awarded the modern title of Yule and positioned North (N.H) the marker cues the longest night and shortest day, seeding the battle for the dawning of light at Imbolc.

Albeit a minor fire festival, mimicking sunlight and recreating sympathetic fire magic in darkest winter was customary. External gatherings in harsh winter carried risk so the need for shelter likely spawned the Yule Log. In lieu of bonfires, an oak Yule log burned indoors, festooned with evergreens. To Druids the oak tree is sacred, along with parasitic mistletoe; each contains a spark of life with correspondences to Celtic thunder god Taranis, oft depicted with a spoked wheel. Oak Yule logs mimicked the seed of light — the waxing sun promising the return of Light. Noting Saturnalia, the Roman agricultural festival was originally 17 Dec; Jupiter (aka Thunder God) was the ‘son’ of Saturn, the father of time.

From deepest darkness, sun is born. The church appears to have borrowed the concept verbatim. In the Julian calendar 25 December reconciled with Christmas, the birth of the son, complete with stabled cattle also spanning a three-day holiday.

Before Paganism, astronomical aligned architectural time reckoners existed — Stonehenge aligns with the winter solstice sunrise but older than the English henge or pyramids, is Newgrange (Brú Na Bóinne), a famous Neolithic burial tomb in Ireland. Over the three days of the Solstice, morning sun streams into the darkened womb like burial chamber, symbolic of rebirth and signals the promise of sols turn. An older Mesolithic monument calendar exists in Scotland; the oldest known luni solar calendar tracking lunar months and also aligned to mid winter sunrise. To Māori, the first dawn sighting of Pleiades (Matariki), cues the Māori lunar New Year occurring in Winter Solstice (June S.H). And to Indigenous Aboriginal peoples Pleiades signals the official start of winter in the central dessert. (S.H readers see Litha under relevant ‘Traditional Northern Hemisphere’ festival heading above)

However you incorporate the Eightfold wheel into your practice — with or without labels, rituals or beliefs — we follow ancestors who recognized the value in capturing sol traversing time. Contemporary construct or not, the wheel lends itself to the time honoured salutations to Sol and arguably Luna; but that’s for another story. No matter how or when you celebrate we simply bear witness to the season before reenacting a Seasonal Greetings. ⧇

[1] Anne Dunne Astronomy Ireland